Catalyst
by A-Knew
Summary: When a great evil returns a divided team shall unite,even in death.It has been seven years since the Darkest Hour,over this time much has happened to the team.Families have been created and destroyed,lives are hidden away and secrets are kept.SN,JC,SNOtri
1. Prolog

_**WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!**_

Most of you will probably hate me for the beginning of this story. All I can say is that you have to wait until later chapters for things to turn out better and that they **_WILL_** get better as the story progresses. I can't make any promises on the updates for this story being regular due to a large mash of things including school (I hate homework). What I can promise is that there will be lots of Sparx/Nova, lots of Chiro/Jinmay and yes a little bit of a love triangle. And I **_WILL _**finish this story this story I **_WILL!!!!!!!!!_** …….Just might take me awhile…

I own nothing but my dignity…phh not even **_I_** in my ever delusional state believed _that_ one…But really I own squat…

**_Summery:_ When a great evil returns the divided team shall unite, even if one is dead. It has been seven years since the 'Darkest Hour', over this time much has happened to the team. Families have been created and destroyed, lives are hidden away and secrets are kept. A war is begging and it is only time before it destroys what is left of the team…Sparx/Nova, Jinmay/Chiro, Sparx/Nova/Otto triangle.**

**Catalyst **

**.0 Prolog **

A lone figure watched the flickers of orange and yellow dots that floated above the procession of black mourners the slowly seeped forward towards the temple. By the time they would reach the desert temple the sun would just start to peak over the red rock mountains that hugged the temple on all sides save one.

"Has it really been another year?" It didn't require turning around to know who it was, there was only one woman who could seem to tame the fierce winds and wild beasts that ran rampant in the waste land that surrounded them with her voice alone. Only one since…

"It seems it has…where are the others?" There was a pause as she walked over to the edge taking in the breathtakingly deadly view before answering.

"They'll be here soon; the Super Robot was having some problems so Otto and Gibson had to fix it first. And it seems you were right about Antar, Chiro has enrolled Antauri to help teach him how to control the Power Primate." The black of the dress she wore had never suited her, making her look slightly dead in the dim light of the torches that surrounded them, which cast an eerie glow onto her haunted green eyes. Her hair hung past her shoulders now, the pig tails that held it in place during her youth long forgotten left in dust of the Darkest Hour.

"It doesn't surprise me; he was practically dyed green from it when he was an infant. How old is he now? Four, five?" Just the faintest ghost of a smile reached her lips, speaking of her son gave her great pride even in the most sorrowful of times.

"He'll be turning six in a few months, he's starting to look more and more like his father everyday now. It was just the other day that I nearly called him Chiro by mistake." It was true, even in the boys first few days of life it was plain to see his likeness to his father, piercing blue eyes that one could swear saw past ever lie that was held, pure black clump of messy hair perched on the top of his small head. It was no wonder so many let his father's name slip out instead when they spoke of or to him.

"And Sparx? What of him?" Jinmay really didn't need to speak, her face answered the question. He wasn't coming, and why should he? He had only half came the times before this one, coming late, leaving early, not participating what-so-ever if he did come on time and stay for the entire thing. No one could blame him really after all no one could truly claim the same closeness that he had. No one could blame him…except the one who knew the truth…except the Keeper.

"I don't know…He left a month after last year's memoriam we haven't seen or heard from him since…" She wrapped her arms around herself, her eyes down cast. The slight bulge of her stomach was now clear to see even in the low glowing torched.

"You did not tell me about that…" She blinked slightly as she lifted her head again quickly removing her arms trying to hide it. So know one knew about it yet. "And from you reaction I'm guessing you didn't tell Chiro either."

"We've all been preparing for this," She gestured to the river of black forms in the distance. "It didn't seem like the right time to tell him. Maybe in a few days when everything settles down some." The sound of the super robot's engines in the distance was heard vaguely over the defining silence that followed. "We want you to come back you know…"

888

A young boy fidgeted with the black suit that he wore. He understood the need for it; he had attended the memoriam every year of his life since birth, but the knowledge of why he had to wear the clothes never seemed to make them any more comfortable. Though he was young, he understood everything about this time of year when sorrow over came his mother's usual kind face, and his father's soulful eyes became hollow of the warmth he was so accustomed to. He knew that when his uncles Gibson and Otto (and his uncle Sparx when he was still around, where his favorite playmate went was beyond him) stopped bickering that it was time to drop what ever mischievous plan he was concocting and behave for them. And that when grandpa Antauri (though they all told him to call him uncle too grandpa seemed to fit the silver monkey better in his young mind) would end their lesson's early so he could go meditate, that he should join him though he wished to go and play instead.

"Here Antar, try this." The green monkey came over with one of his inventions that look suspiciously like a spray bottle and gave the boy a few short sprays of purple goop. In an instant it dried and the outfit became tolerable to the boy. Antar looked up at his uncle and smiled.

"Thank you uncle Otto." The mechanic could only give a sad smile and a small nod in return, before returning to his position at the controls. Next to him Gibson typed in landing coordinates, they were almost there. Quickly the young boy ran to a window, looking to see if he could catch a glimpse of his mother and the temple Keeper waiting for them on the high rock dais that the robot was to land on.

She had gone ahead in order to speak to the keeper about rejoining the hyper force. His father and uncles while they trusted the Keeper to a point weren't to keen on the idea. And his grandpa Antauri had not even spoken the times it came up, but now that his uncle Sparx had left the Keeper was needed to pilot the remaining position in the robot. He was a little nervous about it though, yes the keeper had been kind to him when they had visited, but he knew nothing of them other then the fact that the keeper was once a member of the hyper force before a series of events changed that and that it was the Keeper's self assigned duty to protect the tomb within the temple. After all, what would happen if someone had attempted to destroy the tomb and steal the power that still existed in the bones that lie there?

888

The procession was close now; the stream of night sky and fire stars that had flowed towards them on the desert floor was now a mass of black clad mourners with loads of gifts and things as offerings for the tomb. A stranger from another world unaffected by what had happened might have thought that after so many years there wouldn't have been so many from so far away still participate in memoriam honoring. A stranger would be wrong.

"Do you? Are you sure you don't just want a replacement for your lost pilot?" She didn't even sigh at the response; she knew better then to deprive the dedicated keeper from their chosen life's work, but still she had to try. "I chose to stay here for a reason, as thanks for what I was given though my sins should have forbidden such kindness towards my corrupted soul. I care for all of this as an apology for not being able to stop what happened. Protecting this place, keeping it worthy of what pure and precious thing lies within, it is all I can do now, 'til the day I die and can do so no longer in this earthly form."

"And after you die? You sound as if you have a plan for after that as well." She should have expected the answer that was too come; after all she knew the guilt that ran so deep within the being before her drove the broken soul inside to do all that was possible to protect what remained of the one that could not have been saved.

"…I am already dead Jinmay, though I may have a pulse, a heart beat, breath in my lungs, it doesn't matter I am a dead soul in a living _mortal_ body. A body which will someday die like the rest of me, and when that comes to pass nothing will change. Even after my physical death I will still continue my work." It had been many years since the tired voice had been used for such a long period of time, and it was easy to see that the person they came from was battle worn, and unused to revealing so much to anyone. "I can not return to the Hyper Force, I have things of higher priority that need attending to." She nodded silently in return, there was no use trying to continue the conversation, the end had been laid out for all to see by the great forces of the universe it seemed. And who was she a mere mortal woman to defy such a thing?

"The others have landed; do want to come with me to get them?" There was no reply; she hadn't expected one the Keeper had already gone to prepare before she had even taken in a breath to speak. She turned and head towards her home seeing the great door open in the foot crusher and five figures exit headed in her direction.

888

He walked silently behind the rest of his family; on another occasion he would have just used his powers to float above the ground. But as it was it was not another occasion, this was the yearly memoriam dedicated to the One Lost during the Darkest Hour.

"Grandpa Antauri?" The small voice of his name-sake beside him seemed secretive, full of wonder as if about to speak a secret unknown to any other. The silver monkey looked down at the boy who was gently twirling the large sunflower that had picked himself the day before in his hands. He wanted to put it on the tomb; everyone had agreed the flower he had chosen was perfect for the being whose soul lived on beneath the soil of the grave laid down.

"Yes Antar?" The boy didn't speak for a moment and the spiritual advisor was about to ask again when his young voice spoke.

"I know that we come here every year for the memori-mermoran-"

"Memoriam" He nodded in thanks before continuing.

"_Memoriam_, but no one's ever told me what it's for…I heard some people in Shoogazoom say something about the 'Darkest Hour' and 'The One Lost' but I don't know anything else about it…" The boys searching blue eyes bore into the monkey's own soulful ones. Allowing a small sigh to escape his lips the monkey thought for a moment before answering the grandchild like figure beside him.

"When we return to the robot later on Antar everyone will tell you of the Darkest Hour and the One Lost, as well as answer all your questions." The boy nodded before looking ahead and smiling, quickly dashing off in order to see his mother who was just ahead of them waiting. Antauri judged from her face their answer was just as he had suspected.

"Do you think it wise to tell him now? At such a young age?" Gibson's worry was evident in his voice as he watched the child meat up with his mother.

"Yes. Chiro, Jinmay and I have discussed it and think it best that he learn of what happened." The blue monkey's head lowered some and he looked ahead beyond actually seeing, memories of the past were clear to see in his face.

"It really has been seven years since that battle. It seems longer then that, centuries longer." The leader of the hyper force's voice was low in morbid respect of the occasion. The others only remained silent, seven years since it had happened, since the One had been lost in a fight to death. Since evil became nothing more then a few monsters looking for a new hobby. It truly did seem longer…


	2. Memories I

Ok just because I already had this written I'm going to post it too, be warned it's a bit confusing but as the story goes on it'll make more sense…PLEASE REVIEW I have nothing against flames either, they will be used to keep me warm at night same goes if you have any advice on my story! –DH

I own nothing...

**Catalyst **

**.I Memories**

She hated this time of year. People always came to the temple in nearly unavoidable swarms. 'The Keeper' made her hide away so that they wouldn't see her, but she didn't mind that so much. She had been told what would happen if anyone saw her, and she didn't like that thought.

And the hyper force came as well, that made her hiding painful. When ever she saw them she longed to run out and ask the questions 'The Keeper', how she hated that title; refused to answer. He would come too, she remembered him if just barely. Her being only two at the time of his staying there with her and her family. He had always fought with her uncle, and still did so today, though he thought her to be long dead. She had never learned who he was, just that his name was Sprx-77 and he was the one who had chosen her name. Her mother had spoken highly of him in her living years, in the vague memories she held of her, though through the years she had learned that her uncle didn't share his sister's sentiments on the pilot.

It hurt like a knife to think of her mother, though she had only had her for a short time in her life. She still held the items that had been left behind for her to have. Her uncle after unending sessions of pleading had finally given in and taught her all that she needed to know about them and how to use them correctly. He had always been there for her, always been her father figure, leading her into the right direction, trying desperately to keep her from the mistakes he had made and the mistakes that he considered her mother had made as well. She loved him dearly for it all too, but he wasn't the same. She had longed for her mother to return and tell her stories of the hyper force, and for her father, she had always had wanted to know her father.

Sighing she shifted on her perch high above were the ceremony would be held, hidden away in the shadows to keep out unwanted eyes. Not even 'The Keeper' could manage to get up into the large cave that she had made her own safe haven. Only she could, for only she (and her mother while she was alive) knew were to find the hidden but not path. She liked it that way, just her for awhile no one else.

"Who are you?" …Or maybe not…

888

The moments just before the sun stained the sky were always empty of emotion for him. Reaching the end of his emotional rollercoaster ride and unable to feel anything again until weeks after the event. The days before would be spent in sorrow, then grief, soon after he would fall into the cold clutches of guilt for not being able to do anything. Once he had even attempted meditating with Antauri and Antar to try and rid himself of the feelings but he was never one who could remain still for long and eventually he had just given up on it completely.

The sun would be rising soon and then the memoriam would begin. He hated it, more then anything he had ever encountered before, why? Because it woke the sleeping dog, it reopened all the old wounds, tore open his heart and left it out for the vultures to peck at. Though this year's wasn't quite as emotionally shredding as the ones before it, thanks to the fact that _he_ hadn't come. It was horrible thing to admit in truth and had any of his other brothers known he would most defiantly gotten a nice long speech from Antauri. But it was true, the red monkey had always managed to, without even knowing it himself; cause the torturous event to be even more painful for the mechanic. He would never tell anyone, and why should he? Why should he let it be known that he hated his own brother for being able to have what he himself could never even hope of, that he had spent every wish he had on gaining the treasure the red monkey had so carelessly thrown to the side after becoming bored . Fate was cruel and just because he was a hero did not make him an exception to that.

"Any luck?" Chiro's voice had been barren of hope as he asked his wife of nearly six years. '_Shotgun wedding.'_ That's what Gibson said humans called it, he thought it a strange thing to call a wedding since no one had actually brought a shotgun to the occasion but he had decided against asking at the time.

"None…any word of Sparx coming?" There was only a silence, he wasn't coming and they all knew that. He had left and wasn't going to be returning and that was final, why? They didn't know…but he did…

888

The procession was nearly there, and the small boy could now separate different persons from the mob of black. The Sun Riders had just arrived and were now speaking with his parents and the rest of the team leaving him to his own devices until the ceremony would begin. But there lied the problem for the un-entertained boy. There was really nothing of interest in the desolate landscape.

So being his father's son and unable to resist the chance to explore he was off. He had never been given the opportunity to study the area like he had been taught to do in training. The place was alien to him even though he had known it his entire life, and it was time to change that.

Currently he was scuttling carefully about the large boulders he had found near the back of the tomb. He found it odd that while they seemed completely natural there was some sort of path that they made. Leading up high into a just barely visible alcove high above where the ceremony would take place. Curiosity getting the better of him he followed it, making his way from one boulder to the next until finally he was just one ledge away. The grandeur of the hidden room, for what else could it be other then that; even from his partial angle was awe inspiring.

Slowly he lifted himself up into the alcove careful not to make a sound lest there be a none-to-friendly creature inside, another lesson picked up in training. Once inside he scanned the area quickly for any signs of immediate danger and upon finding none he further explored the place. In the corner there was a mattress with some sheets and pillows leaned up against the wall, nearby was a fold out table and chair that held large old tombs that undoubtedly hadn't been touched in years. A dead pit with the blackened remains of the kindle used last was just to his left, a small figure was perched in the shadows looking down to where everyone else was, the rough rock had somehow had been penetrated for pictures to hang from…wait…

"Who are you?"

888

He stared up at the picture set in a place of honor in the center of the tomb. The others had no clue he was there as of yet and in reality he didn't care if they ever knew. He had always come even if he was late or if he left early, he had after all his limits of being able to stay. Not because of what the others thought though, but because of _him._ They had never been on good terms…ever…especially after what had happened. Only the two of them knew what had truly happened that day, and they blamed each (as well as themselves) other for it. He blamed _him_ for not being able to saveher. And _He _in turn hated him for putting them all in the bad position in the first place.

He set a metallic hand on one of the many stone pillars that led up to the great stone and metal grave marker they had made. A sigh left his lips as he felt the cold rock below his palm; he hated how they had made it. No light save for the ones cast off by the dim unfeeling torches and it was cold, she had hated the cold.

Near by her grave was another, one that only he and the Keeper honored, for it was only they who knew about it. There was no procession for this grave, no great memoriam, why honor what no one realizes exists? He had helped make that little grave, in more ways then one, and yet no one knew. Not one person outside the Keeper knew of the tale of the one that lies beneath an unmarked grave; that had been what had driven him away from his brothers.

He could here the others coming, it was time to leave, to watch from afar as they all kept going on without knowing what had been.

888

He had always had relied on his science to understand things that were just out of his grasp. It kept him safe in a sense, when everything was wrong with the world that surrounded him, when things he couldn't understand would become unavoidable he would lock himself in his lab and study them. He could almost always figure it out sometimes sooner sometimes later, but he found out none the less. He had always relied on it to keep him safe, even long before he had become cybernetic, it had always been there for him to lean on, and would always be there for him to do so until the day that he died.

But in times like these, his science could do nothing for him. The laws and equations that wrapped around him like a warm blanket became cold and unfeeling. Science, he had learned over the years since _it_ had happened; could do nothing for him against his own guilt and sorrow. Though now more then ever did he bury himself into it hoping that if he was surrounded by enough of it that all else would fade away. He knew it wouldn't, it was against the very thing he hid in, but he still tried.

He had always learned knew things every day from the various fields that he had been studying from, but he had learned from _her_ that he could not understand and predict the happenings of life the way he could do so with his experiments. It was her final gift to him he supposed, an unintentional gift but one he had prized beyond all others for the fact of what it meant.

He had learned much after she had gone, no not learned, realized. They had all known in the back of their minds, always felt it in their hearts. She in truth was to the team, what science was to him, a protector. More so then she should ever should have had to be, instead going out obtaining what she wanted; she held back and toiled away on them. They in return only gave the guardian angel she had become for them selfish cries for _more_. It was only after, that he had realized…that _they_ had realized what she had sacrificed for them to go on in their ignorant bliss.

He sighed as the Sun Riders spoke…his science he would abandon forever if only she was with them again for a day.

888

Black clad mourners seeped into the tomb in a slow sad march. A line of those with flowers and gifts flowed in front of the steps leading up to the marker. But none would further pass. It was an unspoken law to do so. The steps would remain bare of feet, and not a single petal was to fall upon their bone white grandeur. It seemed to them that the place was too pure to be sullied by those whose fault it was that the One Lost had _been_ lost.

Antar had never seen the place from such a remarkable view. It was so different then scurrying around careless feet on the ground. He realized why his knew friend hide away in the alcove instead of participating in the ceremony.

She had been wary of him at first, apparently recognizing him as the son of the leader of the hyper force, but had calmed when he had promised not to tell any one about her. They had played a few games for awhile before either one of them had actually bothered to tell each other names, hers was Isabelle, but she had warned that he was only to call her Izzie.

"Antar!" The two blinked in unison at the sound of a mother's worry far below them. Isabelle peaked over the side down to where the searching woman was, her heart clenching as the worried look in her eyes brought a far lost memory back to her.

'_Promise me you'll never do that again Isa! Promise me!'_ Shook her head to ride herself of the look on her mother's face after she had found the toddler near the edge of a cliff after she had wandered off against her family's wishes.

"Uh oh, looks like I hav'ta go Izzie." She nodded in return and brought him to the back of the cave where the shadows hid the wall. Pressing a device he had hardly seen in the darkness portable lights that had been mounted onto the ceiling lit up allowing him to see the stares that led down, lights soon switched on in the stairwell as well.

"If you take this it'll lead down to a secret opening at the bottom faster and no one will see you." He smiled at her.

"Thanks Izzie, I'll see you later!" He dashed down the steps giving her a farewell wave as he went.

"See you later Antar, and don't tell!" She heard the final shout of 'I won't' before he disappeared from her view. Turning back to the large opening of the alcove she smiled slightly to herself. Her uncle would most likely never be told, but she took joy from the fact that she had made her first friend.

888

Watching from hi above from the dais he stood upon he could see the entire temple. As he had hoped young Isabelle was out of sight away from those who could take her away. It was to him that _she_ had entrusted her young daughter, a duty he took with the highest honor, and he had grown to care for the child like his own.

He admitted he was a bit selfish by not allowing her contact with those outside their own little nation, but it was dangerous for her out there, and he didn't just mean the usual things. Her parents being who they are made her an immediate threat to all the evil that slept around them, more so then even young Antar. Then there was the hyper force as well they would do no _physical_ harm to her, but their constant talk of her mother would undoubtedly hurt her severely. And besides all that he was doing _well_ with raising her.

He schooled her in science, math, language, universal history, and many other subjects as well, and what he couldn't teach her with out help he had his dear departed father summoned from the afterlife and help him teach her. Though admittedly that always ended badly seeing as Isabelle never seemed to get enough of seeing her grandfather, but never the less he was handling it all fine.

Hearing the cry of a small girl he snapped his attention to the direction of the sound, for some reason expecting to see someone attacking his young niece, instead he only saw a woman comforting her crying daughter who had apparently tripped and skimmed her knee.

Returning to his previous position he sighed. He had been on edge for months, always expecting some great evil to come swooping in and try to obtain the young one that he hid away. He knew that his thoughts were unrealistic, that for the past seven years no one had attacked and that there would most likely never be one, and if there was it would never be successful. But his instincts told him other wise, and if the choice had to be made he'd choose instincts every time. Something was coming for Isabelle and it when it arrived he could only hope his teachings were as good as he thought them to be.

888

_Beings upon beings of all different species and age waited for the begging of the ceremony. The small desert planet that they all now stood on had once been unknown by the entire universe save a few. But that had all changed seven years ago, on the day that the universe nearly fell to the darkness had it not been for the strength of a lone child of light. A single warrior that stood alone against an entire empire…and won._

_Nearly a decade ago it started, when one day it came upon a person the realization that the control needed to contain the power that flowed so freely with in her, was not there…_

888

She stared out into the distance from her spot on the robot. It was nearly two years since the snow beast had attacked and forced her to release her untamable temper onto the sheltered world. She knew it was a mistake the moment she had awoken from her defused state. Years ago she had nearly destroyed her home from that power because she had gotten a little angry. And yet here she was again years after that she had nearly destroyed the very place she wished to protect for the same reason.

When she had been created, the very first thing she had ever been taught, was not how to speak, not how to walk, not the difference between right and wrong, it was how to contain the burning power within her that begged to be used. Her earliest memories had been of her father and other robed figures teaching her on that little desert planet, unsure of herself of giving up that strength that inner flame provided. But they had told her over and over that she needed to in order to protect, to live with out fear of destroying all she knew. So she had done so, tucked away her pain, sorrow, fear, all her emotions good and bad. But then one day an emotion that she had not anticipated leaked out fueling the fire she had attempted to dampen.

For so long she had been forced to be barren of all _real_ emotion, then that day came when Mandarin had pushed her so hard, she had _felt_ for the first time in her life she had _felt _everything. The fact that that one emotion had nearly destroyed her didn't matter, the fact that she had nearly killed her leader didn't truly register in her mind, as she burned all she could feel was the emotions she had so long banished into the darkness of her soul. And she _liked _it, she _liked _losing her tightly held control, she had been empty of feeling for so long the sudden rush of everything she had been taught against knowing was intoxicating. Emotion had become her drug, her high, one which could not only kill her, but everyone she held close around her, but damnit she didn't care! She wanted _more_, she wanted to _feel _more!

So she fought more, gave herself a short temper, made sure she made it easy for the red monkey to get to her. She never allowed her self the euphoric feel of true loss of control, she had not lost her senses enough to allow herself to fall completely, but she still gave in to her desire to feel the anger, she knew no other emotion to feel nor a way to feel them.

But her raging fire of lust for emotion had died down to nothing more then smoldering embers when she had finally realized what she was doing on that cold ice bitten day. The day she had nearly imploded on herself and threatened to take down the entire solar system with her. She knew then that she needed to regain her control, to reclaim her hold over the power within her. It was time to return to the ones who had originally taught her to hide away her emotions.

888

She knew he would have been one to not take her leaving well, no matter how long it would be. _Especially _so since what had happened between them. He was more protective of her then he would he have normally been had it not happened, part of their basic instincts she supposed or perhaps it was just the way he was. Whatever the reason she knew that she was most likely not leaving with out him by her side.

"I have to go…if I don't I could end up hurting some one…" _'I could hurt you…'_ He stared at her for along while after she had spoken, she had already gotten the approval of the rest of the team, she didn't really need his permission to go, but she still wanted it….

He finally sighed and looked down at the floor. "Fine, but only as long as I go with you." He had expected an argument on the subject, had expected to have to fight her on it until she finally hit him or he had successfully managed to convince her to let him come. Instead she only smiled, a true smile, not one of the fake ones he had for years so desperately tried to replace.

"Who did you think was going to fly me there?" She knew him better then anyone in the universe. And she knew the rest of the team just as well. The flight to the training planet was dangerous and required and expert pilot, as well as long, so why have him travel none stop for uncountable amount of months when he could just as easily stay and train with her. She had every member of the team wrapped around her little finger in one way or another, but none more so then him…

888

They had been flying for near two months. The team had decided it best if they took a ship larger then his small fist rocket and easier to pilot then her bulky foot crusher so that the long trip wouldn't be too unbearable. It held two sleeping quarters, though most new they'd only need one, a fully equipped med. Bay, just in case, and of course the small kitchen and control room.

The trip had been going fine for awhile, but then she had gotten sick, he opted to take her back to the robot but she had nixed the idea, saying that they were closer to the training planet then their own.

Then one morning she had disappeared. After some difficulty and some panic on his part he had located her in the med. Bay. Upon seeing him she had looked worried, seemingly afraid of him, that wasn't right. Ever instinct in his body told him that he was to protect her from any harm that might come, but at the same time _he _seemed to be the harm. He walked over to her quickly in order to find out what was wrong. She directed her eyes away from his as he sat down next to her on the bed provided. "What's wrong?" She wrung her hands nervously and opened and shut her mouth a few times in attempts to speak, then finally giving up and sighing in defeat. She turned her head silently her eyes demanding his before handing him a printout from one of the scanners; she let a look of pure determination slide onto her face. He looked down at the paper as he took it, a feeling of pure dread rising up in his stomach, what was it? Should he have taken her back to the robot even though she insisted she was fine? Was she fine?

He carefully unfolded it and looked it over. His head snapped up to see hers looking away still obviously scared by what his reaction might be. He jumped off of the bed, quickly grabbed her and spun around and around until they fell with her safely on top of him both of them laughing like two idiots.

"And you made me think something was _wrong_?! Shame on you, Nova! Scaring me half to death for the most fantastic thing in the universe!" He pulled her tighter to him carefully placing his hands on her stomach and nuzzled his face into her neck smiling idiotically all the while.

888

"Isabelle." She blinked at his voice suddenly penetrating the quiet control room. They were a mere two weeks away from the planet she had been training on all those years ago.

"What?"

"Isabelle, I always liked that name for a girl…" He gave her a sideways glance as he maneuvered past a comet. She smiled in understanding before setting a hand on her stomach, just a little plump now, just barely visible to those who weren't looking for it.

"Isabelle…" she tested the name let it roll around in her head for a moment before continuing. "I like it…"


	3. Memories II

Ok I realize that this is a little confusing so I'll try to explain as best I can without giving too much away. The reason that in this chapter and in the previous chapter it seemed to jump around from one point in time to another is that the flash back kind of things are well like the chapter title says Memories. Also I realize that there's a little confusion on who it is exactly that Sparx has been having a bit of a war with, the person will become more clear in this chapter (and a note, unless you can keep up with the psychotic roller coaster that is my mind it is defiantly _not_ who, or what you're thinking of!)

**_NOTE! _**The person who is having a war with Sparx is not in any way romantically involved with Nova, even though I am a rabid fan of that pairing!!

Your welcome to flame me all you want, but reviews would be preferred and advice would be most welcomed.

I own nothing…if I had the men in white would be taking it away from me right now and returning me to the rubber room…meh, damn shrinks and their straight jackets…

**Catalyst**

**.II Memories: Continued**

They finally landed the ship they had been traveling in for the past few months and stepped out into the blinding light of the desert sun. She had told him that they would have to walk the path out of respect to the masters of the temple that was built ahead.

"So how long is this 'path'?" He looked at the tiny barely visible worn down path that weaved off into the distant hills.

"What? Can't handle a little walk?" He gave her a look in return and crosses his arms in front of his chest.

"Ha Ha. What I _meant_ was will it be too long for _you_…both of you…" Her face softened at this. He only had her best interest at heart, she knew that, but still he could go a little far with it.

"Sparx, I'll be fine, if I you think I need to rest, when I _really_ need to rest then I will. So come on we got a while to go." She started to walk, right now it was nearly dark and if they wanted to get to the temple by dawn they would need to go none stop.

"You said this was some sort of _training _place right?" She nodded as they continued to walk not quite understanding where he was going with it. "What kind of training exactly? Like stuff that could get you hurt?" _'So **that's** where he's going with this…' _She stopped and turned to face him. Throughout their journey she had never told him exactly _what _training she was going to be doing.

She sighed and looked down to the ground, there was really no time like the present she supposed. She needed to tell _someone _and who better then him? Looking around she spotted a large rock and motioned him to follow her over to it.

There was a moment of silence as they settled down, something was wrong. The senses he seemed to have acquired in the past months were on high alert. He had always been one to rely on his instincts, and right at that moment they were screaming at him that what she was about to tell him was, unlike the news given to him on their ship, not going to be welcomed.

888

"Are they my uncles too?" He blinked as he watched from high above the ceremony, Isabelle's small voice was unexpected on the quiet dais that he had perched himself on. Turning he saw that she had thankfully stayed in the shadows and away from prying eyes.

"Hmm?" He cocked his head ever so slightly to the side attempting to read the thoughts going through her young head. A useless try really, not even his father was able to read what went on in that barricaded mind of hers. He had to wonder if that was his doing, her father leaving at such an early age soon followed by her mother's death left him to raise her and allowing for some of his less _amiable…_ traits to rub off on her.

"She was your sister that makes you my uncle. She was their sister as well; does that mean that I should call them my uncles? You know _Uncle _Gibson,_ Uncle_ Otto, _Uncle_ Chiro… or is Chiro more of a cousin than an Uncle? What about Antauri? I've heard Antar down there call him grandpa, which really makes no sense since Antauri's younger then you are and I call _you_ uncle. And… what about my father, are you ever going to tell me about him? At least give me his name!" He suppressed, if barely a; frustrated grown at her questions, why did she have to ask these questions _now_? Not that he _ever_ wanted any such questions asked but _still_.

"Isa mus-" Her eyes flared and he realized his slip up just too late. She was defiantly her mother's daughter, from looks too fighting skills down to the short temper. Hopefully she wouldn't started shouting, if she raised an octave as it was the people below would be alerted to the alien voice during the annual speech. She opened her mouth to argue with him about only her mother was to call her Isa and that to all others she was Izzie. Why she insisted on such a ridiculous nickname was beyond him but he really had no say in the matter.

"Fine. _Isabelle_, must we discuss this _now_ of all times? It is not appropriate for you to be asking these things _today_." He hoped against all hopes that she would take his scrambled answer as good enough until later, but unfortunately the raised eyebrow was not giving him any indication of so. It seemed that his years of putting off her questions were finally catching up with him.

"Why? I may have been young at the time but I _know_ that she didn't die today, just like you do…other wise why would we have our own '_memoriam' _three week from this day _every_ year if we didn't?... Please…just-" She took in a ragged breath her previous anger faded the fire in her eyes dimming down to low embers full of sorrow. "Just tell me his name…" His dark eyes bore into hers. He had hoped all those years ago that with his new body his demented red eyes would have changed to white like his brothers…but they hadn't, his dearest sister had only been able to revert him back to his original form in her last moments before exhaustion.

Isabelle's lost wanting look burned his heart, but he couldn't tell her, could he? He knew that it was a question that would only lead to hundreds more. If he answered _who_ her father was, she would only want to know _more_, why he left, why didn't he come back, why didn't the others know, and he finally realized the truth. For the past nine years he had helped raise her, care for her as if she was his own, had hidden her away in order to protected her from that evil that he knew still existed out in the universe waiting for the faintest sign of disorder to attack, and it finally came to him that he didn't _want_ her to know who her father was, he didn't _want_ her to ask about him, or where he was, when his sister had died she had entrusted _him_ to take care of her. Not Isabelle's father, not the hyper force, _him_. And he wondered for the first time in all the years of caring for her if he could truly lie to Isabelle as he had been told to do until she reached the age her mother had asked him to tell her.

He looked at her once more taking in her pleading expression. He closed his eyes and let a breath out before answering…

888

There was a neutral silence between them as they walked. Not awkward, not comfortable just neutral. He watched her carefully searching for any signs of weariness, as he rolled the new information he had gained around in his mind. He hadn't realized what she had locked away in order to protect them. He looked into every memory he had of her, every smile, every laugh, every emotion she had ever shown, had been a, now that he really thought about it, _shallow_ impression of what _real_ emotions she had wanted to feel at a given time.

His anger was almost uncontrollable, not directed at her of course, never at her, but at those who had forced her into such a position. When he had regained his memories of the Alchemist he had admired him, but now…now was different. Nova had always been their creator's favorite, his little girl, but at the same time the Alchemist had made her subject to immense and seemingly uncalled for pain. She had been forbidden from feeling any emotion what so ever since practical birth, then taught how to show _fake_ emotions in hopes of filling in the gapping hole they had ripped open in her soul. And still she believed that her being allowed emotions was dangerous idea because of that.

His daze was part way broken by her slipping a hand into his and giving it a reassuring squeeze seeming to sense his thoughts. His anger towards those who had condemned her in such a way faltered some and mixed with his own guilt for not realizing what was going on. In the very back of his mind where logical thinking took place he partially knew that no one could have known but as it was he was not one that even realized that he _had_ a logical part of his mind and therefore allowed himself to be swallowed by the overwhelming guilt that his instincts caused. When they reached the temple he would have one or two questions, ones which were _going_ to be answered.

888

His mother held him close to her as his father and uncles spoke to the crowd. He was much smarter then other children, already learning and understanding things that most adult weren't even taught until collage, but he had never been told the tale of the 'Darkest Hour' like so many other children. He had tried to pay attention during the annual speech of what had happened all those years ago, but his young age made staying awake during the tale with out getting distracted difficult. To many others his age the tale was the greatest story of heroism and bravery in the face of evil ever told. Every night millions of children all over the universe begged and pleaded to be told the sad but noble tale before bed, and yet he knew not even the real name of the 'One Lost'.

His eyes felt heavy and the world around him suddenly became very dark without his realization. Had he not been use to suddenly falling asleep without even knowing he was tired he might have been alarmed, but as it was he always fell asleep during the telling of the story…just before he learned something new too!

A second later he found himself standing in front of the podium, not where he had been a moment ago. Looking up he saw his father speaking, but…he didn't _hear_ him, in fact he didn't hear _anything_. He looked over to where he had been a moment ago with his mother and saw…himself? Sure enough there 'he' was, sleep standing still while his mother kept him- or his body upright.

He felt a slight tug at his heart coming from the stage, turning back he saw his father and uncles again, only this time it was different. They were _green_, or at least bathed in green light. His uncles Gibson and Otto not nearly as much, but his father and his grandpa Antauri were almost blinding to look at.

Then he heard it, a soft lull of a voice. It was nothing more then a whisper in the wind, but he could still hear the promise of truth within it. The words were low and almost impossible for him to hear, but somehow he still knew what it was they were saying. It was the story, the story of the 'Darkest Hour', but it was different. He had never heard the tale but somehow he just knew that this was the truth of it, and all other versions would be unknown lies. The voice died down and seemed to seep away into the shadows with in a second of him hearing it in the first place.

The green light around the members of his family on the temporary stage seemed to die down some, or at least in comparison to the blinding gold and pink light that shone from the grave. He closed his eyes in attempts to block it out but to no avail. Instead he felt his stomach lurch as if he was suddenly in a free fall. He opened his eyes in shock at the sudden feeling only to find that the temple and people had melted away to reveal nothing but black, black and more black. In the darkness that surrounded him he vaguely heard a maniacal laughter, soon followed by walking bones seeming to _appear_ out of no where looking to be held together with nothing more then the blackness that surrounded them. He closed his eyes again in attempts to block out the sight of grotesque creatures.

"Antar. Antar, you have to wake up. Skeleton King only has control over you if you sleep in this place now you _must_ WAKE! UP!" The pure determination and urgency of the female voice within his mind seemed to take control of his young body. He felt something within him quiver and jump to life, some power push out from deep within his soul. He opened his eyes only to find green all around him glowing brighter and brighter until it seemed to blind him. Slowly the green light changed to reveal the hot sun high above him only blocked out by the worried faces of his family.

888

They were nearly there now, the sun just smudging the dark sky above them. She knew he only meant well but his constant asking if she was alright was getting on her last nerve. They only had another ten, twenty minutes of walking left and she was about ready to beat him to a small puddle of mushy paste in near oh…0.5 seconds. And really could anyone blame her? Unending hours upon unending hours of him attempting to coddle her would drive anyone to murder.

She stopped herself suddenly, moments away from her fist connecting to his jaw. A few steps ahead he noticed her lack of movement and too stopped. He opened his mouth to ask what was wrong when she signaled for him to be quiet; obviously confused by what was happening he closed his mouth. Quietly she pulled him over against one of the stone boulders pulling out her fists in preparation for the battle she knew was bound to come. In the darkness the shadows provided for them in the pre-morning hours she felt him pull out his magnets beside her, his tail subconsciously entwining with hers in an instinctual claim. They waited in silence, the pressure of who in the unseen standoff would break first all around them. A moment, two, she suddenly heard movement in front of them and leaped to the side with him in tow barley avoiding the rather familiar energy attack. He shifted them somehow so that he was the one to take on the full force of their fall, but she still had managed to get hit on the head by one of the rocks that had gone flying in the explosion. Vaguely she could see that their opponent was in the light now, allowing them to see his mutated form. She felt the grip on her tighten at the sight of who they fought.

She caught their opponent shout: "You!" at the sight of them but that was the last thing she could make out as the dim light of morning seemed to fade to complete blackness and pain.

888

It wasn't right .It was right for them to be standing there telling her tale, it wasn't right that she was forced to lie in the cold ground below them, and it wasn't right that the team was no longer a team. None of it, absolutely none of it was right!

He had lost one parental figure once be it temporary or not. He wasn't sure even now after so many years that he could handle the pain of her being lost gave him. She had been like the mother he had never known, always there always strong. She always had a smile on her face or a kind word to gently push him to be more confidant in his own capabilities. He could recall the times that she had cared for him when he was sick or injured, and all the times he had shared laughing with her and the rest of the team. But those were happier times, times that seemed so dim now.

They were just memories now, just faded pictures in his mind and faint whispers of the laughter he once knew. He had often found himself lying awake at night staring at the ceiling, Antar curled in a ball between him and Jinmay claiming to have strange dreams he could not describe to them, thinking of how if he had stopped them from going to the planet she might still be there with them. Watching as Antar grew, as he learned, teaching him how to fight and defend himself, spoiling him rotten as only she would. He found it amazing at times how different they were without her there. She had been, without them even realizing it; the heart of their strange little family. Always there when they needed her, always ready to fight to death for them, they had been so use to her being there to comfort and sooth them that they had forgotten exactly what hell their lives would be without her. Was it so much for him to ask for her to come back? To bring back the joy and life that had gone when she died?

888

He waited by her side as the people around him ran about in absolute chaos, some shouting things to others, some just running, there were even one or two of them just standing there staring. He had stopped asking what was wrong long ago and was currently just hoping that someone would tell him what was going on. He knew that she would be fine, that she would pull through with barely a scratch on her and a prideful smirk on her face. But this knowledge did nothing to soothe him at the moment, when she was laying unresponsive to the world. He had been told at one point by the one who had attacked them that it hadn't been realized that they weren't part of the enemy that had been attacking the temple so viciously until it was too late. He hadn't responded he couldn't. Not to _him._ Not after what he did to her, purposely or not.

He remained silent as they took her to a back room to be healed by their magic. Watching mutely as an elderly woman that held a striking resemblance to the Alchemist gently pulled a blanket up to her chin and whispered to him that she would be all right. That they would heal her and she would be able to speak with him in a matter of hours. But he still couldn't find any comfort in what was being said to him, not until she was there by his side threatening to hit upside the head for whatever reason. So in silence he sat outside her chamber and waited, def to the world around him, for at that moment only she mattered.

888

She waited patiently for his reply. A feat within itself as she had never been a patient one. But for this she was, she would wait an eternity (which to her this slight pause as her uncle took in a breath felt like) just to hear the name of her father. Her mother had never mentioned his name in her living years, though she had spoken highly of him, and her uncle had avoided the question like the plague. She had begged her grandfather for the information when he had been summoned from the other side, though he seemed just as afraid of answering as her uncle was. And she had no one else that knew other then the other Keepers, and unfortunately for her they had passed away long ago in the 'Darkest Hour'. Her uncle opened his mouth and her hopes soared. "I will tell you," She practically screeched in anticipation of what was going to say, "On your tenth birthday. Now I must be going Isa_belle_, there is much in the temple that I have to attend to." And with that final over pronunciation of her name he was gone, leaving her just slightly miffed at him…just slightly (_coughcough_shewantstokillhim_coughcough_). Resisting the thought of screaming at the top of her lungs with strength she didn't know she had, she settled for an angry huff and plopping down on the ground with her arms crossed in front of her.

"Coward…"

888

She could only watch from afar as the mass of people gathered. It was so much easier for people to come now that transporters were available making the long trip last only a few seconds. But this fact was wasted on her; she had no care for the 'memoriam' that they held. True she took great joy in seeing all the familiar faces but the fact that those faces were disfigured in sorrow and mourning sickened her.

Antar had been nearly over run by _him_, and he was at a previously safe distance. Thankfully the boy was as strong, if not stronger; then his father and was able to reject _his_ influence on his young soul, but there would be damage she knew.

For years she had kept him asleep during the telling of the tale, if only to allow him to be open to the truth for when she told him. She had made a desperate move, with _him_ growing stronger in the darkness, she had hurried her plan along a few years in hopes that it would help keep _him_ at bay for a time. But such a hasty decision had left an opening for _him_ to escape and attempt to overcome the boy's young mind with darkness and evil.

_He_ knew the way now, how she couldn't understand, but somehow he had found out what great secret she had hidden from him. And now they were in danger, not just young Antar and the rest of the hyper force, but her little Isa as well. The whole universe was in danger of the greatest evil in the universe being released. She was thankful that her daughter was kept away from her tomb, she knew her strength but it still wouldn't be enough to block him out if she ever became too close. Thank Shoogazoom for her brother's constant over protectiveness of his niece. But it wouldn't matter how far away the two were from the tomb if the dark being she was imprisoned with grew any more powerful, there was only a little time left now, and if the plan wasn't put into action soon they would all feel the price of his rage.


End file.
